Pharmaceutical compositions

ABSTRACT

A COMBINATION OF A STEROIDAL PROGESTATIONAL AGENT AND A STEROIDAL ESTROGENIC AGENT FOR PARENTERAL ADMINISTRATION TO PREVNT CONCEPTION.

United States Patent 3,755,575 PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS Leonard J. Lerner, New Brunswick, N.J., assignor to E. R. Squibb & Sons, Inc., New York,

No Drawing. Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 222,946, Sept. 11, 1962. This application Jan. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 428,189

Int. Cl. A610 27/00 US. Cl. 424--240 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination of a steroidal progestational agent and a steroidal estrogenic agent for parenteral administration to prevent conception.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application, Ser. No. 222,946, filed Sept. 11, 1962 now abandoned.

This invention relates to new compositions of matter. More particularly, this invention relates to physiological- 1y active compositions having included therein, in combination, as active ingredients a steroidal progestational agent and a steroidal estrogenic agent. Even more particularly, this invention relates to parenterally administrable physiologically active compositions which when administered to female humans will effectively prevent conception over extended periods of time.

Heretofore, it has been necessary, when treating female humans by chemotherapeutic means for effectively preventing conception, to administer the chemical contraceptives in daily dosages over periods of time coinciding to the average menstrual cycle, i.e., twenty to twentyeight days. Upon cessation of treatment with these contraceptive agents, vaginal bleeding commences simulating normal menses. Upon termination of a five-day period of vaginal bleeding, the usual daily dosage of the chemocontraceptive agent is again resumed for the next simulated twenty-day average menstrual cycle (non-bleeding phase). This method requires rigorous adherence to the scheduled administration of the contraceptive in order to obtain effective results, as any lapse or omission in the administration of the daily dosage of the chemo-contraceptive agent may result in the loss of contraceptive activity for the period involved.

It has now been found that contraceptive activity may be obtained for an entire average menstrual period, i.e., twenty to twenty-eight days, by the parenteral administration of a single dosage of the new compositions of this invention. Thus, complete protection may be obtained for an entire average menstrual period by a single injection of the new compositions of this invention, thereby obviating the necessity for a rigorous schedule of daily treatment and eliminating the possibility of loss of efiectiveness through negligence or human error.

The new compositions of this invention have included as their active ingredients a combination of a protracted steroidal progestational agent and a protracted steroidal estrogenic agent. The progestational agent which may be employed in the practice of this invention is one which when administered in a single intramuscular injection to estrogen-primed immature ovariectomized rabbits will induce uterine secretory gland proliferation for a period of at least twenty days, and preferably from twenty to twenty-five days (said steroidal progestational agent here- 3,755,575 Patented Aug. 28, 1973 inafter to be known as a protracted steroidal progestational agent) and includes such compounds as inter alia, the acetophenone derivative of 16a,17u-dihydroxyprogesterone, the acetylfuran derivative of 16m,l7a-dihydroxyprogesterone, 19-nor-17a-hydroxyprogesteroue caproate, 6a-methyl-17a-hydroxyprogesterone acetate, the acetophenone derivative of l9-nor-16a,l7a-dihydroxyprogesterone, the acetonide of 19-nor-16u,17a-dihydroxyprogesterone and the acetylfuran derivative of 19-nor-16u,17adihydroxyprogesterone and other like compounds. It has been found that the most preferable protracted steroidal progestational agent is the acetophenone derivative of 16a,l7u-dihydroxyprogesterone, although the others give satisfactory results.

The protracted estrogenic agent which may be employed in the practice of this invention include those estrogens which when administered in a single subcutaneous injection to ovariectomized mature female rats will include cornified vaginal smears for at least ten days, and preferably ten to fifteen days, (said steroidal estrogenic agent hereinafter to be known as a protected steroidal estrogenic agent), and include such compounds as estradiol valerate, estradiol enanthate, estradiol undecylate, estradiol palmitate, estradiol butyrate, estradiol caprylate, estradiol cyclopentyl propionate and other like compounds. It has been found that the most preferable protracted steroidal estrogenic agent employable is estradiol enanthate, although the others also give satisfactory results. The relative amounts of the protracted steroidal progestational agent and the protracted steroidal estrogenic agent which may be employed in the practice of this invention that gives satisfactory results, has been found to vary. It has been found that satisfactory results may be obtained when from about ten to twenty parts by weight of the protracted steroidal progestational agent is combined with from about 0.5 to 3 parts by weight of the protracted steroidal estrogenic agent. In the most preferable embodiments of this invention ten to fifteen parts by weight of the protracted steroidal progestational agent is combined with from about one to three parts by weight of the protracted steroidal estrogenic agent in the finished product.

In order to obtain the satisfactory results of this invention, the novel compositions of this invention must be parenterally administered to the patient. The protracted steroidal progestational agents and the protracted steroidal estrogenic agents are combined in such a manner as to produce an easily injectible product. This may be accomplished in any manner known in the art; for example, a solvent such as benzyl alcohol or benzyl benzoate may be employed as a vehicle for thoroughly mixing the active ingredients of the composition. Additionally, a suitable pharmaceutical vehicle such as a liquid glyceridic oil, for example, edible vegetable oils, such as sesame oil, corn oil and the like, or an edible marine oil may be employed. Although the method of obtaining the finished compositions is not restricted, one procedure employable is to first dissolve the pharmaceutically active components in a solvent and then mix the resultant solution with a sufiicient amount of suitable pharmaceutical vehicle to yield the final product. It has been found that satisfactory results may be obtained when from about ten to about twenty parts by weight of the protracted steroidal progestational agent and from about 0.5 to about 3 parts by weight of the protracted steroidal estrogenic agent is combined with from about ten to about 3 4 twenty parts by weight of a suitable pharmaceutical ve- EXAMPLE 2 hicle. This final product may then be filled into suitable Mg. containers and stored for future use. Acetophenone derivative of l6a,l7a-dihydroxypro- The following tests set forth the method of determining gesterone 100 the pharmaceutically active components which may be Estradiol enanthate 50 employed in the practice of this invention: Benzyl alcohol 20 Benzyl benzoate 400 TEST 1 Castor oil, q.s. 1 ml.

Determination of the p otra er l 10 The benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate and castor oil are Progestatlonal agent mixed, and warmed and the protracted steroidal pro- 1 gestogen and the protracted steroidal estrogen are dismmamre female rabblts welghmg sfeven k to solved in the oil vehicle by stirring. The solution is then twelve hundred grams each are ovanefltomlzed- After filled into vials and the vials sealed with rubber stoppers a four to Y P Y rest Period ammals and aluminum seals. The filled vials are then autoclaved are estrogen-pnmed with a total of fifteen micrograms of at for two hours to render them Sterile. estradiol benzoate administered subcutaneously in three Employing the acetophenone derivative of 16m o f f f' over a K 'f 'Y P on the last day of hydroxyprogesterone as the protracted steroidal progesr s E ten mlnlgram dose the Progesterone togen in the procedure set forth in Test 1 yields uterine 15 admfmstel'ed Y- A mamt enance of 20 secretory gland proliferation for a period of twenty days. 'mlcrogram of estmdlol benzoate 1S admmlsfered Employing estradiol enanthate as the protracted steroievery other through the GTOUPP 3 ammals dal estrogen according to the procedure set forth in Test are then f P f at FY mtefvals begmmng at five 2, cornified vaginal smears are obtained in the test anidays post-rmectron and their uteri are weighed and hismals for more than ten days tologically evaluated for endometrical proliferation by 1m1larly, following the procedure set forth in Examthfi method of MCPhall Y 1934, VOL 145 ple 2, but substituting equivalent amounts of the acetylt Pfotfacted pfogestaitlonal agents employable m thls furan derivative of 16a,17a-dihydroxyprogesterone, 19'- mvention are those which will induce uterine secretory nor-l7whydl-oxypmgestel-one capmate, 1 gland Prohferatlon for a Peflod of at least twenty dayshydroxyprogesterone acetate, and the acetophenone de- TEST 2 3g rivative of l9-nor-16a,l7u-dihydroxyprogesterone for the acetophenone derivative of 16a,l7a-dihydroxyprogesterone and substituting equivalent amounts of estradiol unz g gg gfi gggg Steroldal decylate, estradiol valerate, or estradiol caprylate for estradiol enanthate, like results are obtained.

Young adult castrated female rats are employed in this EXAMPLE 3 assay. All of the animals selected must respond to a stimdard .dose of micrqgiam of estradiol 9 Conception controlled studies on human females em- ,g g tsmears coltalmng g g i Q 33 ploying a single, once-a-rnonth injection are carried out cc 6 es p p S i a mum ere m a s 40 employing the compounds and the amounts thereof set suPcutaneous mlectlon' vagmalfiineairs are taken twice forth in Table 1. The compositions of this invention were dilly g q i i g i i ii parenterally administered to the patient on the eighth 3 er e o e assay um o e day after the onset of her previous menstruation. The paestrogemc effect defined as the length of time 9 i tients were observed for duration of menstrual cycle, nal smears contain 100 percent cornified cells, this being ovulation and Side efiects encountered upon the employ at least ten f ment of the instant invention, the results of which are The following examples are illustratrve of the inventabulated in Table 2 tion:

EXAMPLE 1 Mg- Aoetophenone derivative of 16a,17a-d1hydroxypro- TABLE 1 gesterone 100.0

Estradiol enanthate 10.0 Composmon A B O D Ath d t 16,17-di- Benzyl alcohol 150 100 200 15c Benzyl abenzoate 300.0 Estradiolenanthate,mg 1o 20 20 15 Sesame oil, q.s. 1 ml.

TABLE 2 Average duration Divergent Total of cycle, cycles] Total Ovu- Amen- Dysmen- Nau- Composition cycles days total cycles cycles lation Breast orrhea orrhea sea Edema Others 77 27.5 1/77 (1.3%) 77 0 7 0 4 s 0 3 227 25.7 9/227 (4. 0%) 227 0 19 0 11 4 o 5 18 26.8 1/18 (5.6%) 18 0 o 0 o 0 o 0 69 26.5 6/69 (8.7%) 69 o 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 Vertigo. 1 2 cases of weight gain; 2 cases of headache; 1 case of sore throat.

Divergent cycle considered to be shorter than twenty days or longer than thirty-two days.

The protracted steroidal progestogen and the pro- 70 The above tests show that the compositions of the instant invention prevent conception for an average menstrual cycle upon the administration of only one injection and without substantial untoward side effects.

The invention may be variously otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A composition for the prevention of conception in human females for a period of from twenty to twentyeight days by single administration comprising a parenterally administrable composition of about ten to twenty parts by weight of protracted progestational agent which is an acetophenone derivative of 16oz,17oz-dihY- droxyprogesterone and from 0.5 to 3 parts by weight of a protracted estrogenic agent which is estradiol enanthate and a pharmaceutically acceptable non-toxic parenterally administrable vehicle.

2. A composition as in claim 1 containing about 150 mg. of the acetophenone derivative of 16u,17a-dihydroxyprogesterone and about 10 mg. of estradiol enanthate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,051,624 8/1962 Lozinski 167--74 OTHER REFERENCES Henshaw, P. S. Physiologic Control of Fertility," Science (May 29, 1953), 11723048, pp. 572-582.

Lerner, L. J. Biological Activities of 16a,17a-dihydroxyprogesterone Derivatives, Soc. Exp]. Biol. Med., vol. 106, pp. 231-234, Feb. 20, 1961.

STANLEY I. FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner -10: UMTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERTEFICATE OF CORREC'FCZUN a Paten No. 3 755, 575 Dated August 28, 1973 I W) Lennard JL T-erner It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shcnm below:

fin

Column 1,

and "now" line 19, there should be a comma between "1962" Column 2, line 21, "proteoted" 7 should read -protracte d Column 3, line .55, "abenzoate" should read --benzoate- Table 22, the last eight-columns 'should be headed -Side Effe ots- Signed and sealed this 1st day of January 197L (SEAL)- Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHE R,JR. RENE D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

